Thursday, December 9, 2010

This happened a long time ago, like 2 months ago today. Just a little behind.

BYU Homecoming! We actually won! Yay! The in-laws all came out and we had a blast! We represented the Law school and marched in the parade again this year. And then attended the game. It was a blast hanging out with family all weekend!

Lots of photos ahead!

Jocelyn initially did not want to march with us but eventually got over her fears and cheered up. Once again I saw my old roommate watching from our old apartment complex. Sadly, I did not get a photo this year as I had a goal to complete the march in the parade this year so I was only able to say hello.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

So, one of my dreams came true this year. Well, several actually. But this one was major. I am in a play!!! I get to act on stage again. Seriously, dream come true. If you've read my blog for long enough, you already knew that.

So here is the info and a few photos (generously taken by my father with a flashless/silent point and shoot, thus the not so great quality).

If you came to see it, I'd love you even more, and "One is bound to say you'll profit by it" (one of my lines) :) I play a humorous, quirky, upper crust type lady. One my funnest roles yet! Plus, it's a great ensemble cast with fabulous actors and director.

Joyful Noise by Tim SloverCovey Center for the Arts, Provo, UTNow through December 18th on Monday's, Thursday's, Friday's and Saturday's with one matinee on the last Saturday.$10

Oh, and on a side note. I had to gather my own costume. And the dress and purse are from my prom days. Oh, don't worry. The skirt is not zipped up all the way and hiked up to my rib cage. I had to make some alterations to make it fit again. And the beautiful gray "princess" top was a bargain deal from the thrift store. I talked them into lowering the price. Initially they were asking $25. But when I tried it on the zipper promptly broke. So I told the dude at the register and they discounted for the zipper malfunction and by the fact that it was not paired with a skirt and should have been. It was even new with tags! Handmade in India! I would have paid $12 but they brought it down to $3!!! What a steal! I just had to add velcro to the back and it's a costume piece! Happiness!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Well, if you guessed a kitchen, you were right! Give yourself a high five.

Just over 2 weeks (not including the 2 months it sat under/near our carport) and $100 later, I gave Jocelyn her birthday/Christmas present early. Because I couldn't wait to give it to her. And.... it was hard to keep it a secret and....because it wouldn't exactly be easy to haul it to Colorado for Christmas.

Here is the before picture again:Here is the after! Without all the little details added. I am very pleased with the final product. I'll tell you about all the details in a later post. The important thing is that Jocelyn is happy (and Samuel too)!!

Now, here's where I need your help. Which fabric do you think I should use to make the cafe curtain?

A. Just the strawberries?B. Just the stripes (they have to go horizontally because it's only half a yard.

C. the stripe on top of the strawberries?

Here is my thinking. I loved the food themed retro fabric. Perfect for a play kitchen. But I bought these two fabrics online so it's hard to see true colors through a screen. And I initially wanted to make a valance with the striped stuff on top of the strawberry stuff, cute and gathered and such but then I realized how perfectly the striped stuff matched on it's own. And then I wondered if it was too muted to go with the strawberry stuff. And two different styles. And although the striped stuff matches perfectly it almost seems too mature and not playful enough for this play kitchen. So what do you think?

Once I come back from a little trip to D.C. I will finish the curtain and the little details and give it a complete reveal!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

I am so excited! This project has been a year in the making! I have spent more hours dreaming about the project than it actually took to make it. I'm not finished yet so I will have the big reveal next week when I do!

Can you guess what I transformed this $25 changing table into? I suppose if you saw my facebook status that would give it away. Maybe I'll have to delete that status away now.

Okay, there I deleted it so you can't cheat. If you guess correctly I'll give you....a high five!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Tyler is pretty talented. A renaissance many, really. That's why I married him, after all. We went to a dinner w/one his professors and she and her husband listened to our "credentials" like all of his foreign languages studied, and the Humanities/fine arts studied b/w the two of us, they realized we should have lived at least 150 years ago. It's true, I think we would have done well living back then. But which time period would I choose? That would be hard.

Anyway, pretty much anything Tyler does, he's good at. It makes me jealous sometimes. Other times it just wants me to work harder at my "skillz". So I don't look like a total bimbo next to him. But I refuse to ever be a "trophy wife." No siree Bob, I do not aspire to that title.

He started playing flag football last year as a law student and has done so every semester since. The kids love to go his games and finally he had one before bedtime so we all bundled up, brought our traditional mug of hot chocolate and tried keeping Samuel off the actual field, thereby being tackled or trampled over.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Are you glad I'm finally done with these posts? I am glad to be done! Though it's been a FUN two weeks.

The costumes:We went with an Asian theme. I don't do themes every year but I like to if I can.

Samuel: Homemade ninja. Favorite part: the fact that I decided to use some old church pants that had a hold in the knee. I didn't have time to sew pants and or mend the old ones! Fabric was from my collection. All I had to pay for was the shirt.

Jocelyn: My FAVORITE this year. An Indian princess. I asked my sister Jennie to bring me a sari from India 6 months ago. Yes, I think that far ahead. Call me crazy but I already have an idea for next year's Halloween costumes! If our bunny is still alive :) Anyway, I love that hers is authentic and that I didn't have to sew it! Plus Jennie brought back those little dots (not sure of the name).

Cecily: Little Chinese boy, I mean child. This outfit is technically a boys but who cares! Again, my world traveler sister, bought this in San Francisco's China Town.

I wanted to have a little photo shoot for the kids but ended up only having it with Jocelyn. She loved doing this in our little forest. I couldn't decide which ones I liked the best so please excuse the amount.

The Food: My favorite part. Especially that nice little one in the middle. I love you Reese's peanut butter cups!!!

I offered $5 to purchase a toy for either one who wanted to sell me their candy. Not for me to eat (well, except for the chocolate ones for me and Swedish fish, sour patch kids and other favorites for Tyler). I am just sick of all the candy they beg, sneak or steal from now through Easter. I'd rather it just be gone. Not sure where I will donate it yet.

I started a tradition in 2005 of making doughnuts every Halloween season. I still have not found the best doughnut recipe, either cake or yeast. So this year I tried another new one this year. Apple fritters from Pioneer Woman. I liked them because I had the ingredients, they were easy AND the kids didn't notice the hidden apple chunks! Plus, of course, they were delicious!

Me enjoying them in my domestic apron. Doesn't it look like I'm pregnant?

Here they are, but not nearly as good as PW's photos.

And then I wanted to make gourmet caramel apples. If you look closely they look like the kids dribbled chocolate on them. I'll have to practice that. Fun gifts for friends!

Every Halloween the Law School hosts a pizza party and costume parade. Then afterward the kids go trick-or-treating in the little carrels, or cubicle/booth/desk thingys. The students provide the candy and/or decorate them and the little kids go around and "cash in".

Jocelyn was too shy to stand up and show everyone her beautiful costume.

I made their trick-or-treat bags this year. I was sick of looking at the cheap ones sold at the stores so I made some sturdy canvas bags that will last for years and are not too big. Actually, it's a good time to stop trick-or-treating too, when they're bags are full, so small the better. Actually, when I was a kid, and I got older though, I used a pillowcase. And I had that thing filled easily. Nowadays, is that possible? Do that many people actually hand out candy? or can you trust too many people anymore to get that much?? Some of the students wouldn't give the kids candy unless they said "trick-or-treat". Sheesh, guess I am a bad mom for not teaching them the proper ways.

Party #5 Halloween night (ie, Saturday night because we live in Utah. Fine with me!)

First, I was mean and made the kids clean up all their toys and settle their hyper rear ends down. Then while Tyler cut some wood for an exciting project that I have embarked on, the kids watched a short Halloween cartoon which scared Jocelyn. Then we carved pumpkins.

Uh, this is the only action shot I got.

Here they are. In the rain.Tyler does the fancy carving. I used a drill for mine. Wanted something pretty.

Yes, It was a beautiful day until late afternoon. No signs of the the threatening storm. Then, around 5pm, it rained and poured. So I decided to take the kids trick-or-treating at the Mall. Wow. That was interesting. First, seeing all the weirdos in their costumes. Then we ended up parading through the mall for about 30 minutes resulting in about 5 pieces of candy. I think the rain brought more people in than normal and all the stores ran out. Plus they gave away lame candy like one single tootsie roll. Lame.

Afterward we went to Dairy Queen which worked out nicely because it was empty and quiet. Cecily had her first ice cream and went a little crazy about it. Call me a bad mother for allowing her to have a milk based food too early. Plus they gave us vouchers for a free ice cream. I like trick-or-treating there!

And then the kids crashed for the night and Tyler and I watched another law movie. Got to learn me some law lingo. Nice.

Pillow slipcovers. I made these covers to reuse my existing couch pillows. I used velcro so I can just take them off and make some Christmas ones! And they're washable. I got this great pillow silhouette idea from my cousin Sascha. I found the cat template here and the spider web is just clip art. Each is made of felt and $1 store kitchen linens. The cat is sewn on and the web is ironed and sewn on for extra stability.